In The News
City tightens restrictions on canine ownership
Register-Pajaronian
Thursday April 15, 2010
The Watsonville Register-Pajaronian, April 15, 2010
City tightens restrictions on canine ownership
Council passes ordinance in hopes of curbing problem of dangerous dogs
Tighter restrictions on dog ownership were approved by the Watsonville City Council Tuesday night in an effort to curb what officials described as a growing problem of dangerous dogs.
The changes to city code add restrictions on felons owning dogs, give police the authority to seize a dog weighing more than 20 pounds if it has not been spayed or neutered , and raise the fee for owning an unaltered dog from $100 to $300 with a yearly renewal fee of $65.
The changes are in response to an incident on Jan. 1 when a pit bull, whose owner had previously been cited, escaped its yard and attacked a 64-year-old woman going for a walk. She nearly lost the lower part of her leg and remains in rehabilitation . "What we found out is that there could have been some additional measures that, in hindsight, might have prevented the attack," said Marc Pimentel , Finance Department director for the City of Watsonville .
Watsonville Police Department Deputy Chief Robert Knill described the new restrictions as a tool for law enforcement .
"We're not going after people who are walking friendly dogs, but some of these gang members use their animals, basically , as a weapon," he said. "Now, if that animal is over 20 pounds and is unaltered, we can seize it if we see that."
Knill said the dog that attacked on Jan. 1 could also have been seized if these tighter restrictions had been in effect . Greg Caput, the sole member of the City Council to vote against the changes, wanted to delay any decision and could not understand how the changes would have made a difference. He said the 20-pound restriction was ridiculous and it would be a shame to overreact just because of one dog.
"I don't know what got into that dog's head. It's a terrible incident," he said. "I don't see anything here that would have prevented that attack."
"I disagree with you heartily ," said Watsonville resident Steve DuFour. "Why postpone this and take a chance of another dog attack tomorrow?"
All members of the audience who spoke supported the new restrictions.
"This ordinance seems, to me, to address a problem that exists and acting on it immediately might prevent another terrible mauling," resident Leslie Henderson said.
Mayor Luis Alejo and others told Caput that the officers could have seized the dog, whereas before, such a seizure would have a required a hearing first. "This provides tools for our police officers so they can take immediate action," Alejo said.
"Without this ordinance in place we could not seize those dogs," Knill said. "Had this ordinance been in place, we would have been able to seize those dogs."
"I don't get this," Caput said.
Councilman Antonio Rivas moved to end discussion and just vote. Eventually the discussion ended and Alejo made a motion to approve the ordinance . It passed 5-1 . Councilwoman Kimberly Petersen was absent from the meeting after she gave birth on April 7 to a boy, Benjamin Carter.